


The Pilgrimage

by Captain_tea



Category: SANDIGMA
Genre: Original Fiction, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-11
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-11-30 19:25:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11470116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Captain_tea/pseuds/Captain_tea
Summary: 这是一条宽阔平整的大路，和这颗星球上的其他道路没有什么不同。它的起点是一个破落驿站，由此一路向北，横穿沙漠。路的两旁每隔一小段距离就有金属浮雕的装饰，内容似乎是当地的神话故事。披甲武士与蜂拥而出的怪物作战，排成长队的少女向一座高山奉上供品。它们错落有致 ，时刻提醒旅行者是否走在这条路上。在这个物资匮乏的星球上，要分出人力来做这种事，真是有点稀奇。It was a wide and straight road, nothing different from any other one on this planet. It started with a wretched posthouse, all the way north, crossing the desert. There were some metal reliefs carved on either side of the road about every 10 moits, telling local mythologies: Armored warriors fought a swarm of monsters, and maidens lined up to present offerings on a high mountain. The carvings were well-proportioned, reminding travellers whether they are on the right path all the time. It was unexpectedly surprising to believe that much manpower was devoted to this matter since the shortage of resources was well known on this planet.





	The Pilgrimage

**Author's Note:**

> 这是我为一部独立游戏撰写的故事，它讲述的是一群能够穿越宇宙的冒险者的奇妙经历。遗憾的是游戏最后并没有成功做完。如果你去搜索这个名字：sandigma，也许还能找到点它存在过的痕迹。  
> 但我们曾经来过，就像流星划过天空。  
> 这些故事就是陨石，会告诉你曾经发生过的事情。

SANDIGMA  
朝圣之路  
The Pilgrimage

 

这是一条宽阔平整的大路，和这颗星球上的其他道路没有什么不同。它的起点是一个破落驿站，由此一路向北，横穿沙漠。路的两旁每隔一小段距离就有金属浮雕的装饰，内容似乎是当地的神话故事。披甲武士与蜂拥而出的怪物作战，排成长队的少女向一座高山奉上供品。它们错落有致 ，时刻提醒旅行者是否走在这条路上。在这个物资匮乏的星球上，要分出人力来做这种事，真是有点稀奇。  
It was a wide and straight road, nothing different from any other one on this planet. It started with a wretched posthouse, all the way north, crossing the desert. There were some metal reliefs carved on either side of the road about every 10 moits, telling local mythologies: Armored warriors fought a swarm of monsters, and maidens lined up to present offerings on a high mountain. The carvings were well-proportioned, reminding travellers whether they are on the right path all the time. It was unexpectedly surprising to believe that much manpower was devoted to this matter since the shortage of resources was well known on this planet.  
我的旅伴亚亚[YAYA]正在整理行装，往两头驮兽身上绑各种东西。这种温和驯良大个子生物是当地很常见的家畜，肉可食用，皮可以做皮甲，至于骨头也能变成工艺品。当地人可不驯养无用的生物。接下来的几天我得和亚亚一起走，就我们两个。穿越沙漠，到路的尽头去。亚亚有着当地人麦色的皮肤，相貌精悍，深蓝色斗篷下面是一身战斗装束。我看着他把一柄振动刀挂上剑带，又仔细检查了那挺高射速机枪，觉得自己如同一丝不挂的婴儿。亚亚看了看我，丢给我一把短刀。  
My companion Yaya was packing his stuff on two godos. These gentle and docile animals were common local livestock. Their meat is edible, skin perfect for leather armor, and their bones can be made into artifacts. The natives never raise pets without practical use. For the next a few days, I would travel with Yaya. Just the two of us. To cross the desert and get to the end of the road. Yaya got this local popular wheatish skin, and bantam figure. Full battle gears were hiding under his dark blue mantle. Seeing him putting a vibration blade on his belt, and checking the mini gun over and over, I felt like an enfant in my birthday suit. Yaya caught a glimpse of me and tossed me a dagger.  
“我用不来这玩意。”我捧着短刀嘟囔。  
“I have no idea how to use it,” I cupped the dagger and mumbled.  
“带着它，迈尔斯[Miles]。”亚亚说话有浓厚的当地口音，尾音总带着某些嘶嘶的音节，像风沙打在帐篷上所发出的声响。“旅途很长，也很危险。”  
“Take it, Miles,” Yaya has a strong local accent. You can always find some “sss” sound in his voice, like sands hitting a tent. “Journey be long, and dangerous.”  
“咱们签订合同的时候你可没说有多危险！”我说，即便是短刀对我来说也太沉了，放哪儿也不合适，只能将它塞进背包。  
“You didn’t say that when we signed the contract!” I complained. This was too heavy for me even though it’s only a dagger. I didn’t know where to put it and had to stuff it in my backpack.  
我的窘样明显让亚亚感到滑稽：“我以为‘行者’都爱冒险。”他跨上驮兽，踢了这温厚驯良的动物一脚，后者喷了喷鼻息，迈动沉重的步子上路了。  
My embarrassment obviously amused Yaya. “I did think exiles love adventures.” He jumped onto the godo and gave the gentle animal a kick. His mount snorted and began to move its heavy feet.  
“‘行者’只冒值得冒的险。”我笨手笨脚地爬上驮兽，追着他而去。我们的旅途开始了。  
“Exiles only go for worthy adventures,” I climbed up the godo with clumsiness and followed him. The journey began.  
我叫迈尔斯。我父母给我起这个名字，难道早就知道儿子将来会成为一个穿梭宇宙潇洒自如的行者？不管怎么说，为他们的睿智干杯，尽管他们一天都没有养过我。从一个星球到另一个星球，“简单得就像从厨房里拿一块黄油曲奇吃”。这是我的老师告诉我的，是他引领我进入了行者的世界。在我的记忆中，我的老师永远是一副潇洒自如的派头，仿佛世间没有东西能够阻碍他来去。尽管后来他承认穿越星际是门高深的学问，我得学会不少东西才能避免自己有去无回。  
My name is Miles. Maybe my parents knew that their son might one day become an exile travelling freely in the universe? Anyway, I should toast to their wisdom, despite the fact that they never raise me for a single day. From one planet to another, “It’s just like fetching a butter cookie from the kitchen,” I was told so by my master who guided me into the world of the exiles. As I recall, master did anything with an easy grace, as if nothing in the universe could stop him. But eventually he admitted that interplanetary travelling is a rocket science. An exile has to learn a lot to avoid a one way trip.  
“这意味着什么呢？“我问我的老师。然后他说了我至今都不能忘记的一段话：“想象一下吧，如果你生在一个星球，所有生物都只能在地上走，而你却能飞。那么整个天空就是你的了，一整个。你可以飞跃高山，穿越丛林，前往无人能去的神秘之地。“  
“What does it mean?” I asked my master. And he said the most unforgettable words in my life, “Imagine that you live on a special planet. All the creatures are walking on the ground, but you can fly! And the skies belong to you, all of them. You can fly over the mountains and overlook the jungles. Even reach the unreachable places.”  
我十七岁的时候就彻底贯彻了这件事。之后又过了三年，我发现了一颗美丽的小星球。我立刻被它给迷上了，它成了我的家，乌托邦，随便什么。但凡我从遥远的星球进行了一次长途跋涉的旅行，第一件事就是回到它那儿。  
When I was 17 I perfectly executed what he’d said. And three years later, I found a little beautiful planet and got fascinated. It is my home now, or utopia, something like that. Whenever I take on a long trip between the galaxies, I would return to my home immediately.  
我的小星球远在千万光年之外，不过为了安全着想我可不会告诉别人它在哪儿。它的一草一木都是那么可爱迷人，那些房子，矿产，我所驯养的怪物们，全都是我的小甜心。  
My little planet is thousands of light years away from here. But to be cautious, I won’t share the accurate whereabouts of it with anyone else. Every blade of grass and every tree are so adorable. Those shelters, mineral veins, and all the monsters that I’ve tamed are all my sugars.  
而我的双脚踩在现下这颗星球上，也许因为这里的日照时间太长，整个星球表面都给人一种烤过头的景象。这里的人极其热爱蓝色，因为那是代表水源的颜色。而我来这里的目的，是为了卖给他们一种装在蓝色小罐子里的防晒膏。  
And the planet lying beneath my feet, perhaps it’s the horrible sun light exposure, was like a piece of over-toasted bread. The people there loved blue things ardently, because it’s the color of the source of water. And the reason why I was there was to sell them some sunscreen lotion in blue bottles.  
这桩生意很好。当地人会用一种稀有金属付账，这种金属被普遍用来制作刀剑武器，对我来说，它能加固我小小星球上的建筑。  
The business was good. Local customers paid with a rare metal which is generally used to forge weapons like blades and swords. To me, it can serve as the reinforcement on the buildings of my little planet.  
但这种金属并不是我最主要的目的。我的目的还有另一种东西。所以当那个裹在深蓝色斗篷里的男人走近我，给我看他掌心里的图案时，我瞬间收敛起了招揽客户的笑容。  
Yet the metal was not my primary target. I was also after another thing. So when the man in the dark blue mantle approached and showed me the pattern in his palm, my attractive grin was retracted.  
那个男人的掌心，画着一株蛇兰。  
In the palm of the man was an image of a SNORCH!  
我盯着那个男人的一双眼睛，嘴角抽动了一下。  
I stared at his eyes, with a twitch at the corner of my mouth.  
傍晚的市场人头攒动，驮兽在人流里缓慢的前进，小贩叫卖货物，一队巡逻的士兵举着武器有条不紊地走过，头顶篮子的当地妇女在露天摊前驻足，车夫抽动鞭子驱动兽车，到处都是尘土。  
The evening market was crowded with yelling vendors, bustling customers and sluggish godos. A team of rangers passed by robotically, weapons strictly gripped in their hands. Local women stopped by open-air stalls to purchase necessities, with baskets on the top of their heads. A wagoner whipped his beast, and the latter groaned and made a reluctant move. Dust is everywhere. You can even see that when there’s little light left.  
有那么一刻我就像一只发现自己藏松果的地方被发现的双尾松鼠，犹豫着不知道是逃走还是打上一架。我呼唤着我的耳语精灵洛伊[Loi]：告诉我臭小子！这个人是行者吗？他是不是行者？他是不是和哪个行者有关系？  
There was a moment that I was like a two-tailed squirrel whose hidden pine cones got exposed, hesitated to fight him or to flee from him. So I called my whisperer, Loi. Tell me brat, is this man an exile? Is he? Or does he have any connection with any exiles?  
他不是行者。洛伊懒洋洋地回答，至于其他问题我暂时不能回答你哎。  
He’s not an exile, Loi replied drowsily. As for the rest of the questions, I can’t answer right now.  
除了充当翻译器你还能干吗？真是没用！我在心里说。  
What else can you do except being an interpreter? You worthless piece of… I silently said.  
我是你造的。它反驳。  
It was you who created me. He refuted me.  
好吧，说到底人就只能靠自己。我瞪着眼前的男人，“什么意思？”我问。  
All right, one can only rely on himself. “What do you want?” I goggled at the man before me.  
男人拉下了面罩，他有一张精悍的脸，但我从他眼中读出了深深的疲惫和警惕。“听说，你在寻找这个。”他口音很重，但我依然听清了内容。  
He pulled off his mask. A vigorous face revealed. But I sensed deep fatigue and vigilance from his eyes. “I did hear, you be looking for this,” he had a strong accent. But the words are basically clear.  
“谁告诉你的？”我试图问出更多的信息。一个普通人，芸芸众生，被困死在自己星球上的凡人是不大可能知道蛇兰的秘密的。  
“Who told you that?” I tried to pry. An ordinary guy trapped on his own planet was not supposed to know the secret of Snorchs.  
“外乡人，很多年前有一个同你很像的外乡人来过这里，问我的祖父去哪里找这个东西。但这不重要，你帮我一个忙。”男人继续说，“我带你去找这个。”   
“Outlander, years ago, someone like you did come here, did ask my grandfather where to find this. But it don’t matter now. You do me a favor,” he kept saying, “I take you to this.”  
他掌心中的那株蛇兰画得十分简陋，但依然看得清它独有的仿佛生物的样子。我吞了吞口水，听见自己说：“什么忙？”  
The painting of the snorch in his palm was rather rough, though I could still make out the snake-like shape. “What favor?” I swallowed.  
我想没有哪个组织会像行者这样把一种植物看得如此至高无上，而在行者的历史上为了它，名为蛇兰的植物死去的行者也许能绕银河系一大圈。但即便如此，这就如同宿命一般，为了蛇兰，我，翡翠行者迈尔斯，恐怕得冒个险了。  
I thought no one except the exiles would evaluate so high of a plant. And in the history of the exiles, men that died for snorchs are countless. But even so, destiny calls. I, Miles, Exile of Emerald, should take a risk.  
这个男人的要求很简单。他说他的名字叫做亚亚，在当地人的习俗里，告知对方名字就意味着某种关系上的坦诚，不过我不是当地人，就算告诉他我的名字也不影响我之后的毁约。  
What the man required was simple. He told me that his name is Yaya. According to the local custom, knowing each other’s name means total honesty. But I didn’t belong there. Even if i told him my name, I could still call off the deal, if needed.  
亚亚想要我陪同他做一次旅行，大约十天左右，全程走完一条被称之为“朝圣之路”的道路。  
Yaya wanted me to travel with him for about 10 days. The journey was called the Pilgrimage.  
“这是定金。”他递给我一个小瓶子，里头大约有一盎司液体。我打开瓶塞嗅了一下，立马一脸惊恐迅速塞回了瓶塞。  
“This be down payment,” he passed me a small bottle, inside which is some kind of unknown liquid. I opened the cap and sniffed, and closed it immediately with a look of horror.  
这味道再熟悉不过，它足以伴随一个行者的一生。这小瓶里头是蛇兰的汁液。这一刻我认定，这个名叫亚亚的男人说的也许是真的。  
The smell couldn’t be more familiar. It would accompany me through my whole life. The liquid in the bottle was S.E.R.U.M., Snorch Essence for Rare Underground Movements. Then I realized that this Yaya was not kidding.  
这一小瓶蛇兰汁液成了压弯骆驼的最后一根稻草，我决定放手一搏。  
The little bottle was the last straw that broke the camel's back. Quitters never win. I agreed to go with Yaya.

太阳逐渐爬了上来，紫色的和红色的。大地成了烤炉，驮兽缓慢地沿路向前，远处的景色被热浪扭曲成怪异的景象。  
The suns rose little by little, the purple one, and the red one. I felt like in a working oven. The godos tardily moved forward along the road. The view was monstrously twisted by the heat waves.  
“别喝那么多水。”亚亚对我说。  
“Drink not much water,” Yaya said to me.  
“别把我和你们这些沙漠蜥蜴比，我来自一个水源丰沛的星球。”从出发到现在我已经喝下了比平日多一倍的水。我知道这是不对的，但干旱会让人发疯。  
“I’m no desert lizard like you people. I come from a planet with sufficient water supply!” My water consumption had doubled since we started the journey. I know this wasn’t right. Still, the drought drove me crazy.  
“转移注意力。”亚亚讲，“不然就把水壶给我。”  
“Distract your attention,” Yaya taught me. “Or give your kettle to me.”  
我默默地把水壶往身后挪去， 试着转移注意力，我把目光投向道路两旁的金属神话浮雕。它们在阳光下熠熠生辉。在这些雕像两旁总有些烧焦的骨头，和破损的器皿残骸，诸神在上，我甚至看见了一些干枯的植物。  
Concealing the kettle quietly behind me, I tried to think about something else. Then my focus was attracted by the metal reliefs again. Burnt bones and damaged vessels could be found beside the carvings. By the stars, I even saw some withered plants.  
“这些东西是什么？”我问。  
“What are these?” I asked.  
“供奉辛[Sin]的供品。”亚亚说。  
“Tributes for Sin,” Yaya answered.  
“哈？”  
“What?”  
“还有十天就是纳西节 [NESI]了，到时候你会看到更多供品。沿路一直往前，人们拿着烤熟的兽肉谷物瓜果和鲜花，一路向前。”  
“Nesi come in 10 days. By that time, you see more tributes. My people carry roast meat, cereals, fruits and flowers, go all the way forward.”  
“哇哦。”我说，“是你们的宗教节日吗？我的母星也有类似的庆典。庆祝丰收什么的。”  
“Wow! Is that Nesi a religious festival of yours? My home planet also has a day like that, to celebrate the harvest or something.”  
“丰收？不，纳西节不是丰收。纳西节是旱季的终点，在它之后这里才会下雨，滋养生命。”亚亚看着我，他的双眼在斗篷下面，瞪得我有点发毛。这完全不是我概念里讨论一个节日应该有的态度。  
“Harvest? No, Nesi be no harvest. It be the end of the heat. After that, the rain come, nourish the life.” His eyes scare me under that hood. And that is not a proper attitude for discussing a festival.  
“等等你刚刚提到了啥？辛？”  
“Wait, did you mention a Sin?”  
亚亚眼神一变，他沉默了好一会儿，最终开口：“辛。它来自洪荒，一次可怕的灾变，当时大地开裂，无数可怕的生物蜂拥而出，杀死所有见到的东西。我们的祖先殊死抵抗，杀死了所有的怪物。但农田被毁，灌溉的秘术失传，幸存下来的人们只能期盼雨季。辛是最后一个怪物，它是神灵留给我们的警示，取悦它才能让雨季到来。这就是纳西节。你去问任何一个人，他们都会这么告诉你，外乡人。”  
His face scowled at once, and stayed silent for quite some time. Eventually he started to explain, “Sin, did derive its origin from the cataclysm. Great crevices did open in the earth and numberless frightening monsters did come out, kill everything. Our ancestors did fight ferociously, and did slay almost all of them. But our croplands be gone, irrigation skill no more. The survivors can only depend on the rainy seasons. Sin be the last monster. It be a warning from the god. We must please it to have rains. This be Nesi all about. Ask anyone, they tell you so, outlander.”   
这是当地的传说。我脑子里响起一个声音，我的耳语精灵洛伊。你没好好研究过这里的风土人情就敢来做生意？  
It’s an old local tale. The voice in my head jumps out. It’s my whisperer Loi. So you are here to do business without any knowledge of their customs?  
……被自己的创造物吐槽的感觉好差劲啊。  
… Great, sarcasm from my own creation.  
为了缓解尴尬，我开始寻找话题。  
I tried to find some topics to ease the awkwardness.  
“说说你是在哪儿见到蛇兰的吧？”  
“Tell me where you found the snorchs.”  
“沙漠深处，亲眼所见。”这个男人讲，“你要是和我一起走到终点，我就告诉你地方。”他说完这些便彻底陷入了沉默。好家伙，让我说话很容易，让我闭嘴可比什么都难。我开始喋喋不休地找话题，从我那个小星球上灌木的颜色到母星时下流行的透视装，最终亚亚终于停下脚步，转过身对我说：“扎营。傍晚再走。”  
“Deep in the desert. Did see it with my own eyes,” the man seems serious. “If you come along with me, I show you where.” After that, not a word from his mouth. By the Nexus! It’s easy for me to talk, but almost impossible for me to shut up. So I yapped on and on, from the bush color of my planet to the fashionable see-through dress on Planet One. Finally Yaya stopped and turned to me, “We camp. Leave at dusk.”  
没有什么生物会在正午的阳光底下活动。我们在距离朝圣之路不远的一块巨石后面安营扎寨。亚亚一坐下就开始检查武器和刀子，仿佛他只有这件事可做似的。这人是个标准的战士，我敢用行走星际这么些年的经验打包票，他一准是个狠角色。  
Nothing walked under the scorching sun of noon. We were camping behind a huge rock, not far away from the road of pilgrimage. Yaya began to check his weapons and knives once he sat down, as if this is the only thing to do. What a typical warrior. I guaranteed that he’s definitely a bad ass, in my years of experience in interplanetary travels.  
但为什么我觉得我俩的出发却像逃亡。  
But why I feel we were fleeing?  
一只小动物进入了我的视线，它看起来像某种啮齿类，正四处嗅着寻找食物。这东西有着铁灰色的毛色，一对大耳朵贴在脑后，可爱极了。  
Something caught my eyes. It looked like a rodent, searching for food. It has iron gray hair and a pair of big ears on its little head. Quite adorable!  
我好奇心大起，冲它丢了一小块石头。这小东西非但不害怕，反而抬起头嗅嗅我在的方向。  
I threw a tiny rock at it out of curiosity. Surprisingly it was not scared. On the contrary, the little one lifted its head, attempting to locate my position.  
“嘿，”我冲它喊道，这次我换了一小块压缩干粮丢过去。小东西很快抓住了从天而降的战利品，以极其快速的动作捧住吃掉了。然后它开始往远处移动，我可不愿意放过这个机会，便偷偷跟着它。  
“Hey!” I shouted at it and throw it a piece of compacted food bar. The food disappeared rapidly in its cupped paws. When no more food came its way, it went away. I wouldn’t give up this scarce opportunity, so I followed the little one.  
这个小东西依然嗅嗅这边，嗅嗅那边，漫无目的地觅食。而我则悄悄地慢慢地缩短我俩之间的距离。终于，我突然一个箭步上前一脚踩住小东西的尾巴，趁它吱哇乱叫之际我一把将它捏在手心里，举到眼前，另一只手则开始掏摸胶囊。  
Sniffing here and there, the tiny rodent continued to look for more food aimlessly. It didn’t realize that I was catching up. Suddenly in a big stride I stepped on its tail. I could feel the fluffy hair in my hand and had a better look at it. The other hand of mine was fishing out my capsule.  
我的大部分货物和旅行用品都放在胶囊里，分门别类，容易运输。每次使用它们，我都得感谢一下那位发明胶囊的前辈。这让我避免了赤条条来去的尴尬，也使得星际间的交易成为可能。  
Most of my goods and travel supplies were stored in this capsule. Easy to carry and classify. Every time I use it, I’m truly thankful to for the inventor. With the capsule, I don’t have to land on a strange planet like The Thinker. It also facilitates the interstellar business.  
我知道有些同僚很热衷于收集异星生物，赏玩也好，用作守卫也罢，眼前这小家伙，说不定能卖几块金子。   
Some of my colleagues are avid alien collectors. I don’t care how they use their collections, either as pets or home guards, or anything else. And this little one here might worth a few gold coins.  
“别怕呀，可爱的小宝贝。”小东西在我手里吱吱叫，那模样可爱极了。然而就在下一秒，它突然张开大口，面目瞬间骇人无比，试图袭击我的脸。  
“Don’t be afraid! Little cutie.” it’s even more adorable when screaming in my palm. But the next second, its mouth just opened like a huge black hole and came at my face! So much for the cutie.  
大惊之下我侧头闪避，小怪物一口咬空，我趁机打开胶囊，一道光线闪过。小怪物凭空消失了，它被整个儿吸进了胶囊里。  
I dodged its bite in a moment of desperation. Luckily my capsule was opened promptly. The little monster disappeared in a shiny light, thanks to the suction power of the capsule.  
“吓死我了……”我嘟囔着将胶囊揣回衣兜。就在这个时候我听见了一种，古怪的声音。我低头看去，大约有十多只一模一样的小怪物正在我几步远的地方看着我。  
“That s…scared the shit out of me…” I put the capsule back to my pocket as I stuttered. Just then I heard a weird sound. A dozen of the same little monsters were gazing upon me a few steps away!  
我瞪着它们。它们那一对对可爱的大圆眼睛也看着我。突然，它们一齐张开血盆大口向我扑来。  
I tried to threaten them with my raging stare, and they looked back with those lovely big round eyes. Then they were pouncing on me with huge bloody mouth all at once.  
我飞起一脚踢飞一只，另一条腿却被好几只挂住，妈的，这些家伙的牙齿真锋利，我的靴子上瞬间开了一个洞，我抓住那只正往我鞋里钻的小怪物，背上有更多爬上来。我终于惊恐地大叫起来。  
My boot treated the first one with a kick off, whereas some others were attacking my other foot. Damn it! Their sharp teeth penetrated my boot! I grabbed the one trying to run into my boot, but more climbed onto my back. I finally cried in horror.  
突然一支火把扫过，小怪物们尖叫着退去。亚亚杀到，他挥舞着熊熊火焰逼退小怪物们，而我则像头被狮群放倒的大象，只顾满地乱滚和惨叫了。亚亚眼明手快地捉走我身上乱咬的小怪物，手起刀落切掉头，丢在地上。这一个过程根本没花多少分钟。而我还在毫无察觉地乱滚，高叫着：“它们在咬我屁股！妈妈！我要死了！”  
A rescuing torch swept over all the sudden, many of them squeaked to retreat. It’s Yaya! He’s wielding the burning torch to expel them, and I was like a deer under the lions, crying and rolling. Yaya took away the biting rats on my body and beheaded them with his blade, which all happened in no more than a minute. And I was still unaware of that, shouting, “They’re biting my butt! God help me! I’m so dead!”   
亚亚切掉最后一只的头，然后看着丑态百出的我。  
Yaya cut off the last rat’s head and watched me acting like a buffoon.  
“起来，迈尔斯。”他叹了口气。  
“Get up, Miles,” he sighed.  
我又抱着头过几分钟，意识到自己确实离死还远得很，才拍拍灰站起来。“搞定了？”我故作轻松地说，试图维护仅剩的一点颜面。同时在脑子里拼命催动我的耳语精灵：帮我查查这到底是什么东西！  
I covered my head for a few more seconds and realized that I was far from death, “You’re done?” I got up and beat the dust off my coat and pretended to be breezy, so as to save my wounded pride. At the same time, I was urging my whisperer in my head to find out what the hell these creatures were!  
沙鼠。群居，肉可食用。  
Gerbilane, social, the meat is edible.  
就这么完了？我抱怨。  
That’s it? I complain.  
完了。洛伊的回答言简意赅。  
That’s it. Loi’s report was concise.  
这也太不靠谱了，这个时候亚亚拍拍我的肩膀，指向不远处的一片小盆地，那里被一整片的铁灰色覆盖，在这些颜色之下隐隐看见一些动物的白骨。数以万计的沙鼠正在进食，从那些骨骸可以看出，这也许是一群倒霉的恰好途经沙鼠栖息地的食草动物族群。“繁殖季节它们什么都吃，包括迷路的商队。”亚亚丢了一块骨头下去，引起这群可怖小动物们的哄抢。  
Unreliable just as always. Yaya clapped me on the shoulder, pointing at a not-so-far small pit covered by a huge mess of iron gray creatures. Subtly you could see some animal bones under that horrible dark cloud. Thousands of gerbilanes were enjoying the feast. Judging from the bones, perhaps a poor herd of herbivores bumped into the nest of these gerbilanes. “During the breeding seasons, they almost eat anything, including lost caravans,” Yaya said and threw a bone down to the pit, which caused a new round of open plunder.  
“困扰与威胁的区别仅仅取决于数量……”我脸色发白地说。  
“The difference between disturbance and threat merely depends on the amount…” I paled with fright.  
“不过它们的肉很好吃。”亚亚捡起一只断头的沙鼠炫耀似得晃晃。  
“But their meat be very delicious,” Yaya picked up a headless gerbilane, shaking it to flaunt his local knowledge.  
临近傍晚我们又出发了，直到夜幕彻底降临，沙漠气温骤降才停下。晚餐是烤沙鼠，大厨是亚亚。他用一把匕首剥掉皮，直接从高射速机枪上拆下刺刀，把鼠肉串上去，然后生火开烤。  
We hit the road again when the dusk was about to come, non-stop until the evening fell and the temperature plunged. The dinner was roast gerbilanes. Of course the chef was Yaya. He peeled off the skin with a dagger and removed the bayonet from his mini gun to make the kebab.  
“你都不弄干净内脏？”我嫌弃地说。  
“You didn’t take out the internal organs?” I cold-shouldered the sanitary condition.  
“内脏好吃。”亚亚说，干完这些事，他将有血污的小匕首插进沙子里弄干净，我看见这把小巧武器的刀柄下头挂了一个骨雕，用皮绳串着，看起来十分有趣。  
“Visceral organs be delicious,” explained Yaya. He inserted the dagger several times into the sand to clean it. There was a bone sculpture attached to its hilt, by a leather strap. It intrigued me.  
注意到我的目光，亚亚把匕首递给我把玩。这骨雕是一枚六角形的花朵形状，做工很粗糙，完全不似职业匠人的作品。  
Noticing my look, Yaya passed me the dagger. The bone sculpture was shaped like a hexagon flower. The workmanship was crude, though. Apparently it’s not made by a professional craftsman.  
“我女儿做的。”亚亚说，我将匕首还给他。这个男人拿起深蓝色斗篷的一角来回擦拭刀刃，又爱怜地摩挲着骨雕。  
“My daughter did make this for me,” Yaya said. I gave back his dagger and the man wiped the blade with the fringe of his dark blue mantle. Then he gently caressed the sculpture.  
“这雕的是什么？花？”我问。  
“What is that? A flower?” I asked.  
亚亚点点头，严肃的脸上绽开一丝笑容：“两年前的纳西节，下了一场大雨，沙漠一夜里开出了很多白色小花。她就记住了。”  
Yaya nodded his head. A smile lit up his stern face, “When the Nesi two years ago be over, a heavy rain did go down. Many white flowers did bloom. So she did remember.”  
我啧啧称奇。  
I was amazed.  
沙鼠确实好吃，亚亚说得没错，精华就在内脏。我开始寻思这种什么都吃的小怪物其实很有驯养的价值。想想看，圈养一小群沙鼠，你不仅不用担心垃圾的处理问题，还有烤肉吃。   
The gerbilanes were indeed delicious. Yaya was right. The visceral organs were crème de la crème. I couldn’t help thinking that these little gluttonous monsters might have a great value of domestication. Think about this, if you raise a small group of gerbilanes, you never have to worry about excess rubbish, and you can also enjoy the exotic barbecue at home.  
我们决定了守夜的顺序，我上半夜，亚亚下半夜。最开始我问过他为什么非得找个旅伴，他说这就是答案了，孤身一人的旅人不可能穿越沙漠，有神护佑也不行。  
The night rota had been decided. I got the first half night, and Yaya the second half. At the very beginning I asked him why he needed a companion. He said this be the answer. One cannot cross the desert alone, even with the blessing of gods.  
“这个我理解，”当时的我说道，“但为什么是我？”  
“This I can understand,” I said, “But why me?”  
“因为你是外乡人。”亚亚言简意赅。这不得不让我生出一些奇怪的疑虑，这趟旅途究竟有什么重点非外来者不可。夜晚的沙漠气温太低，黑暗中又蛰伏着无数危险。我决定施放一个简单的警戒法术。虽然法术本身没有攻击力，但好歹在危险来临之际，我有时间一脚踢醒亚亚。  
“Because you be an outlander,” Yaya put it very simply. It brewed some strange questions out of me, especially why this journey needed an outlander. The temperature was extremely low in the desert at night, plus countless dangers lurked in the darkness. I decided to cast a simple vigilance spell. It’s not aggressive, but when danger is close, I would have enough time to kick Yaya awake.  
不过我得声明，并不是所有的行者都如我这般孬种。我的同僚们当中不乏战斗大师和谋略家，如果一个人的目标是成为冒险者，总得有几个技能傍身才行。而我最大的武器是：随机应变。  
I have to proclaim that not all the exiles are such a coward like me. There’re no lack of battle masters and tacticians. If you want to be an adventurer, you have to have a trick or two. And my greatest weapon is improvising.  
篝火静静燃烧，它的燃料来源是一种黑色的油脂。在这颗星球上任何植物都是稀有物，当然不可能拿来做燃料。亚亚背对我躺在睡袋里，枕边是他的振动半手刀，标准的战士的睡姿，如同憩息的猛兽。  
The bonfire burned quietly on sort of black grease. No plant on this planet should be burned as fuel. They were so damn precious. Yaya lay in a sleeping bag, turning his back to me. The vibration blade was right beside his head. He slept like a standard warrior, also a silent beast.  
我实在没法忘记眼前这个男人刚才流露出的一瞬间的温柔，如果说沙漠确实曾开满鲜花，这俩者给我的感觉是如此相似。  
Honestly I couldn’t forget the flashy moment of this man’s tenderness. If the desert was once full of flowers, Yaya just gave me the same feeling.  
夜风呼啸，滚滚沙尘。我突然无比想念我的小星球，我的房子，财富，我那些可爱的异星小甜心们。宇宙如此广袤无垠，我们都自称行者无疆，但最终你得有个能够回去的地方，一个值得你捍卫的所在。  
The roaring night wind was the reshaper of sand and dust. I missed my little planet even more. My houses, my wealth and those alien sweeties. The universe is so vast and limitless. We exiles claim to be boundless travellers, but in the end you have to go back somewhere, a place worth fighting for.  
下半夜亚亚和我换岗。“你听，那是什么声音？”他说。我侧耳听着，却只有呜呜呼啸的风声。  
Yaya got up for the rest of the night watch, “Listen, what that be?” he’s alert. I listened intently but only heard the whooshes of the wind.  
“什么鬼？”我说。  
“What the hell?” I asked myself.  
亚亚摇摇头，往篝火里添了一把尘土，火苗一下子摇曳起来，光影之下他开始吟唱。那是一种古老的语言，我无法翻译出来，但我感觉这像极了某种祈祷词，虔诚且神秘。  
Yaya shook his head and added a handful of sand to the bonfire. The flame began to dance. Then he started singing in an ancient language. My whisperer couldn’t translate it. But it felt like some kind of devout and mysterious praying.  
在旅伴的低吟祈祷声中我钻进睡袋，舒展筋骨，在看得见银河的夜空下睡着了。  
Accompanied by my partner’s soft singing, I slipped into my sleeping bag and stretched my limbs. I gazed upon the Milky Way until I fell asleep.  
第二天清晨我们继续出发，早餐是吃剩的烤鼠肉和压缩干粮。亚亚很细心地将篝火熄灭，扫清痕迹，并将食物残骸丢去了远处。  
The next morning we continued our journey. The breakfast was gerbilane leftover and some compacted ration. Yaya killed the fire cautiously and covered it up, and threw away the food residue from our campsite.  
沿途依然有贡品的残骸，我感觉这些东西大都进了沙漠生物的肚子。临近中午的时候我看见了一具当地人的骸骨。它倒卧在路边，身上仅剩几缕布片，骸骨半埋在沙中。亚亚催促我快走，但我却心生疑虑。  
There were still some remnant tributes on the road side. I guessed most of them were in the belly of desert creatures. By the noon I saw a skeleton of a native, lying by the road, covered by few cloth strips. Half of the body was already buried in the sand. Yaya urged me to go on, but I was full of doubts.  
“那具骨头……”我追上亚亚的驮兽，出声询问。  
“That skeleton…” I caught up with Yaya’s godo and tried to raise a question.  
“是朝圣者。”亚亚说，他看了我一眼，“别担心，我们不是朝圣者。”  
“A pilgrim,” Yaya answered me before I ask. He cast his eyes on me, “No worries, we be no pilgrims.”  
“……等一下，我觉得重点完全不在这边好吧！”我终于意识到眼前这家伙的沉默寡言有个很大的问题，我根本没法得知所有事情的细节。  
“…Wait a sec. That’s totally not my point, OK?” I finally realized that his taciturnity was a big trouble, because I was not able to know the details of anything.  
“我知道契约里包含一条就是不准多问。但是你不认为合作双方最基本的素质就是必须坦诚相对吗？你好像还有很多事情没有告诉我嘛！”  
“I’m aware that ‘Don’t ask too many questions’ is in the contract. But don’t you see that we should be honest with each other? Too many secrets have been kept from me!”  
“因为你没有问。”亚亚一句话就把我打回原形。  
“Because you did not ask,” Yaya silenced me with 5 words.  
“那我现在开始问！”我说，“你好像没有提过朝圣者的事儿。”  
“And I’m asking questions right now,” I said, “You’ve never mentioned the pilgrims before.”  
“我说过，纳西节的时候，人们为了取悦辛……”  
“I once did tell you in Nesi people please Sin…”  
“会带着各种吃的载歌载舞一路往前是吧，”我打断他，“这个我知道，听起来很喜庆。”  
“So they carry all kinds of food dancing all the way, right?” I interrupted him, “I know this. Sounds jubilant.”  
“这些人也被称为朝圣者，游行的人。”  
“Those be the pilgrims, people on parade.”  
“哦。”  
“Ah!”  
“他们带着贡品，身穿庆典服装，沿着朝圣之路前进。”  
“They carry tributes and wear festival costumes. Go down the road of pilgrimage.”  
我突然意识到亚亚所说的事情，他没有明说的细节中包含着一个让我背脊发冷的事实。“你说他们……就这么一直走下去？”  
Suddenly what he said sent a shiver down my spine. I realized the truth behind the implicit facts is pretty scary, “You were saying that they have to march forever?”  
“对。”  
“Correct.”  
“不带任何补给？”  
“With no supplies?”  
“朝圣者不需要补给，只需要信仰和双脚。”  
“Pilgrims need no supplies, just their faith and steps.”  
“那这些食物和瓜果……”  
“But the food and fruit…”  
“朝圣者也不会动它们，这些是留给神的，凡人不可享用。”  
“Pilgrims touch it not. It be for god, not for mortals.”  
所以我瞬间明白了。这些朝圣者一路载歌载舞，向着沙漠深处前进。在最初的喜庆过后，也许是一天，或者更长久些，但最终他们都会因为缺少食物和水，力竭死亡。我甚至想象这些死于干渴的人们身边就是伸手可得的食物，却只能任凭其腐烂变质，连同朝圣者自身一起最终滋养沙漠深处的生物。  
Then I got it. The pilgrims went into the depth of the desert, singing and dancing. After the initial happiness, maybe a day or two, or even longer, eventually they died of thirst and hunger. I could imagine that even when they were dying, there was food right beside them, but they only let it rot, along with themselves nourishing the creatures of the desert.  
简直愚不可及……  
This was hopelessly stupid…  
“但我们不是朝圣者。”亚亚说，驱使驮兽向前。  
“But we be no pilgrims,” Yaya stated again, as he drove the godo forward.  
“这太蠢啦！”我紧追上去，“难道说这些人死了，雨季就会来了？哪有这种不符合逻辑的事情？”  
“Fools!” I kept up. “So those people died and the rain would come? That’s absurd!”  
“所有人都相信是这样。”他说。  
“All of my people believe it,” he said.  
“……开玩笑！太蠢了！我怎么会在这么愚昧可笑的星球上待那么久！”我抑制不住内心的不适，大发牢骚，“那么你呢！你相信是这样吗！你那个见过行者的祖父也是这么对你说的？”  
“…You got to be kidding me! This is idiocy. How can I stay on this planet for so long?” I couldn’t resist my disgust and started complaining, “What about you? Do you believe in that, too? Your grandfather had met an exile before. Did he tell you the same story?”  
亚亚的脸藏在深蓝色兜帽下：“我祖父说，万物都有死去的那天，或卑微如沙，或高贵似星辰。”  
Yaya hid his face under the dark blue hood, “My grandfather did say that everything be dead someday, like a lowly grain of sand, or like a noble star.”  
“那我们究竟要去沙漠尽头干什么！”我说。  
“Then what exactly is waiting for us at the end of the road?” I raised my voice.  
“还不到时候，还不能说。”他讲，自顾自向前去了。  
“Cannot say, not now,” he ignored me and kept going.  
“你知道你是个混蛋嘛——？”我冲着他的背影喊。  
“Do you know you’re a jerk?” I shouted at his back.  
第三天，路旁出现了更多的骸骨，我简直不想去看。可亚亚十分坦然，想到这家伙坚定地认为这种死法是“高贵如星辰”的表现，我就反胃得很。宿营的痕迹依然被清理得干干净净，仿佛这是这趟旅途中最重要的事。  
More skeletons appeared on Day 3. I’d rather not look at them. Yaya seemed very calm. The very idea that he thought they were “like a noble star” disgusted me. The camping trace was cleaned like we’d never been there, just as before. It seemed this was the most important thing of this trip.  
第四天，骸骨依旧，时常有单只沙鼠从它们中间跑过。亚亚干脆对我的问话毫无反应，中午的休息被取消了，我意识到我们正在加快步伐。傍晚时分，我决定采取行动了。  
Day 4, bones again. Solitary gerbilane scout was frequently found digging among the bones. Yaya was non-responsive to any of my questions. And lunch break had been cancelled. I realized that we were hastening. So I decided to take some actions at dusk.  
“你在搞什么鬼，迈尔斯？”亚亚瞪着我，随时准备扑上来的样子。“别动！”我一手拿着旅行开始前亚亚给我防身的短刀，另一手抓着亚亚的储水袋。这样子可真滑稽，我居然绑架了一个驮兽胃袋做的储水容器！  
“What foolishness be you doing, Miles?” Yaya was going to jump on me at any time. “Don’t move!” I pointed the dagger he gave me at his water bag. This scene was actually amusing as I was kidnapping a water container made of a godo-stomach!  
“在你扑上来之前我有一百种办法让这些水流进我脚底的沙子里头，一滴不剩！”我讲。亚亚的脸沉了下来，我猜他多半在想怎么把我宰了。  
“Before you touch me, I have a hundred ways to pour the water into the sand under my feet, all of it!” I tried to threaten him. His face was clouding. I guessed he’s considering how to dispatch me.  
“虽然契约还成立，但我现在需要一个附加条件。亚亚，告诉我路的尽头到底是什么？你打算做什么？你必须告诉我，现在立刻马上！”  
“The contract still stands, but I need to add an auxiliary condition. Yaya, tell me what is waiting for us at the end of the road? What is your plan!? You must tell me, right here, right now!”  
“我他妈受够了蒙在鼓里！没错，我是个行者！但老子从不买单程票！看看这些骸骨，吃人的小老鼠！沙漠！后面还有什么！你他妈到底打算把我俩带去哪儿！”  
“I’m done with being kept in the dark! Yeah, I’m an exile! I never buy one-way tickets! Look at these skeletons! Man-eating rats! Desert! What’s next? Where the hell are you taking us??”  
“你的答案要是不能让我满意，老子立马就走！蛇兰我不要了！再多也不要！去找别的倒霉鬼吧，找那些疯子！妈的，你会满意的！我可不是什么不要命的冒险家，老子想回我的可爱星球去，操，我想回家了！”  
“If your answer doesn’t satisfy me, I’m leaving! Don’t want the snorchs, no matter how many you give me! Find yourself another hapless fool to go with you! Damn it. You’ll be satisfied! I’m not so reckless. I wanna go back to my lovely planet. Fuck it, I’m being homesick!”  
我语无伦次，咒骂夹杂在抱怨里头。结果眼前那个裹着深蓝色斗篷的男人大步走向我，无视我的警告，以迅雷不及掩耳之势一把夺走储水袋，轻松得像从三岁小孩手里抢走棒棒糖。  
I made a lot of incoherent ranting together with complaints. As a result, the man in the dark blue mantle strode right in front of me, ignoring all of my warnings. And he grabbed the water bag from me even before I could notice what’s happening. Yes, he just did that, like confiscating a lollipop from a three-year-old child.  
我在原地愣了半分钟，意识到发生了什么之后简直想找个地缝钻进去大哭一场。  
I froze there for about half a minute. After processing the facts in my mind, I really needed a comforting shoulder for me to cry on.  
“你不能这样对我！我有知情权！”我抗议，却看见亚亚做了一个手势示意我禁声。他警觉地往后张望，从驮兽身上取下高射速机枪，只见我们身后沙尘滚滚，有什么东西迅速接近中。亚亚端起机枪，冲我吼道：“躲起来！别让驮兽跑了！”  
“You can’t do this to me! I have the right to know!” I protested, while Yaya made a gesture to mute me. He looked back vigilantly and took out his mini gun from the godo. I sensed that someone or something was approaching us, for the dust was raised up. It’s very close. Yaya swiftly held the gun in his hands and shouted, “Hide! And let not the godos run away!”  
这是两个命令，简短有效。我再愚蠢也知道事情大条，赶紧抓过驮兽的缰绳，使尽浑身解数把俩大家伙驱赶远离。我一口气跑出几百米，在一块大石头后面躲好。只见那边沙漠中冲出七匹铁骑，骑手同穿深蓝色斗篷，子弹点射。亚亚灵活闪避，跃入掩体后还击，高射速机枪咆哮着，子弹犹如鞭子，两个骑手应声落地。  
The two orders were succinct. Even a moron knew something’s wrong. I took over the reins of the godos in a hurry and did everything in my power to chase away the big ones. After making a sprint with whatever strength left within me, I hid myself behind a huge rock. Seven riders suddenly appeared from the raised sands, all in dark blue mantles. Shots were fired! Yaya evaded with great dexterity. He dashed behind a cover and responded with his roaring mini gun. The whip-like bullets laid two riders low in no time.  
袭击者的坐骑速度很快，我听见有人吹了一声长哨，剩下五人呈包围态势向亚亚逼近，亚亚扔下高射速机枪，从身后抽出振动片手剑，剑身随即嗡嗡蜂鸣。  
The raiders’ mounts acted quickly. Somebody let out a loud whistle and Yaya got beset by the remainders. Giving up his heavy mini gun, Yaya drew his buzzing vibration blade.   
亚亚犹如猛兽，扑向最近的袭击者，那个倒霉的家伙顿时血洒黄沙，连叫喊都来不及就从坐骑上跌下。我神秘的旅伴动作如同舞蹈一般，他从尸体上抽出片手剑，冲敌人怒吼：：“还有谁！“   
He leapt and descended upon the closest raider. Blood was spilled on the sand. The poor guy fell from the mount with no time to cry for pain. My unearthly companion moved like dancing, “Who’s the next?” he retrieved the blade from the dead one and shouted at the rest of them.  
剩下四骑停下了，远远地围在那儿。领头的那个回以当地语，我偷偷摸摸地潜行过去，试图靠近一点。然后我听见了如下的对话：  
The rest ones stopped attacking. They surrounded Yaya from a distance. The leader said something in the local language. I sneaked up on them and hear the conversation. Loi was doing the translation.  
“你疯了，他们是你的同胞！”袭击者的头领说。  
“Are you out of your mind? They are your kinsmen,” the leader said.  
“不再是了，你是来杀我的。”亚亚回答。  
“No longer. You are here to kill me,” Yaya replied.  
“不，我是来阻止你干蠢事。”我听得出对方的耐性不多了。  
“No, I’m here to stop you being stupid,” I could sense that his patience was almost ended.  
“我很清楚我在做什么，我不需要你们的指引。”  
“I know what I am doing. Don’t need your guidance.”  
“你不清楚，你带着一个外乡人，试图走完朝圣之路，这是对辛最大亵渎！”  
“You know nothing! Finishing the pilgrimage with an outlander? This is blasphemy to Sin!”  
“你见过辛吗？告诉我，你见过辛吗？你，你，还有你，你们谁见过？”亚亚手持武器一一质问，“如果没有辛，为什么我们还要让这么多人去送死？如果有，那我就杀死它！”   
“Tell me, have you seen Sin with your own eyes? Have you? You, you, and you, who have seen it?” Yaya confronted each of them, but the grip on his weapon didn’t loosen. “If there’s no Sin, why are we sending so many people to death? If Sin does exist, then I shall kill it!”  
这一番话吓得对方惊呼起来，连同胯下坐骑也惊惶不安地挪动步子。  
His words triggered the exclaiming of the raiders. Even their mounts moved several unsettling steps out of terror.  
“收起你的话……我的兄弟，你是最优秀的战士，你为我们杀死过很多敌人，不要再执迷不悟！”  
“Retract your words, my brethren. You are the most skilled warrior among us. Many adversaries have fallen under your blade. But don’t be wrongheaded!”  
“执迷不悟的是你！”亚亚吼回去，“艾坦[Etan]，我的女儿！她只有六岁！你们竟然让她成为朝圣者！”  
“You are the wrongheaded one,” Yaya growls. “My daughter Etan is only six! How can you make her a pilgrim?”  
“这是先祖的意志！我们没法违背它！”  
“This is the will of our ancestors. It is what we can’t disobey!”  
“不，这不是先祖的意志。先祖们发明了天气控制系统，让雨季周而复始，他们与大灾变降下的怪物作战，绝不会牺牲自己的孩子去取悦神明！”  
“No, there’s no such will. Our ancestors invented the weather controller which kept the rainy seasons going round and round. Our ancestors fight the monsters of the cataclysm. Our ancestors never sacrifice their children to please a false god!”  
“所以才会有了大灾变！所以我们才沦落到今天！”对方说。  
“That’s why the cataclysm occurred! That’s why we have fallen so low!” the leader didn’t give up.  
亚亚看着他，最后转过身，语气失望：“我以为你会理解的，我的兄弟。”  
Yaya turned back with disappointment, “I thought you’d understand me, my brethren.”  
“蠢货！你会毁了所有人！如果你触怒了辛，如果再也没有纳西节和雨季了要怎么办！”那人从坐骑上下来，不管手下人的劝阻，大步迈向亚亚，抓住他的肩膀强迫他转过身来。  
“Fool! You will destroy everyone! What if Sin gets mad? What if there’s no more Nesi and no more rain?” the man dismounted, ignoring the dissuasion of his subordinates. He slowly approached Yaya with sure-footed steps, and forced him to turn around by grasping his shoulders.  
“想办法，”亚亚说，“祖先们做到了，我们也可以，花费许多年，十几代，总有一天可以让雨季降临。”他说完这些话，不再理会对方，转身离去。  
“Find a way,” Yaya said, “Our ancestors did, and so can we. No matter how long it takes. Years, or even generations. The rain will come one day,” paying no attention to his kinsmen, Yaya left them after he finished talking.  
“你会后悔的亚亚！你以为在你之前没有人想过吗！没有人赢得了辛，没有人回来过！”那人在他背后厮吼着，双膝跪地。  
“You shall regret that! Do you think no one else has done that before? No one overpowers Sin. No one ever comes back!” the man howled behind Yaya’s back, down on his knees.  
我从躲藏处出来，看看亚亚，又看看那个跪在地上的人。然后蹑手蹑脚地去牵驮兽，“我觉得你哥是条汉子。”我说，结果被那家伙瞪了一眼。  
I came out of my hideout, sizing them up, and walked gingerly towards the godos. “I think your brother is the man,” I commented. He shot me a distasteful glance.  
好吧，偶尔说真话的结果就是遭人白眼。我牵着驮兽向亚亚追去。那四个人没有再追来，只有朝圣之路在我俩前方延伸。  
Yeah. Sometimes you get that when you speak the truth. I pulled the godos after him. Those four were not following us. Then, again, there were only two of us and the road of pilgrimage.

“我俩不是旅伴吗？旅伴不就是要坦诚相待吗？说吧，反正我也猜得八九不离十了~”我喋喋不休地跟在亚亚后头，距离昨日傍晚的遭遇又过去了一天，远处的高山显得清晰了很多，山峰直入云霄，孤寂又宏伟，耸立在沙漠尽头。  
“Ain’t we companions? Are we supposed to be frank to each other? Say it. Anyway, I’m not far from the truth,” I kept going on and on after Yaya. It’d been a whole day since the encounter happened. The mountain in the distance was becoming clearer. Pointing skyward like a warning finger at the end of the desert, the shape of it combined both grandness and loneliness.  
亚亚不说话，只是牵着驮兽往前走。从昨晚起他就如此了，扎营的时候他不停地摩挲那把匕首上的骨雕，不知道在想什么。  
Yaya didn’t speak. He just held his godo along with him. He’d become even weirder since last night. When the camp was established, he’s gently touching the bone sculpture of the dagger. I didn’t know what was on his mind.  
嘿。我在脑中敲打耳语精灵，你觉得辛是什么？  
Hey. I knocked my whisperer in my head. What is Sin in your opinion?  
资料太少，没法判断。它说。  
Too little data. Can’t tell.  
要你何用啊！我大叹。  
Why even bother! I sighed.  
应该是某次“沙煌”的遗产。耳语精灵说。  
Could be the legacy of a Sandigma. Loi added another sentence.  
废话。这是用膝盖想也想得出来的事情！  
Apparently! I can figure that out with my knees!  
我是纯能量体，没有膝盖。  
I’m pure energy. I don’t have knees.  
……算了。  
… Never mind.  
不排除是你曾到过的星球上来的生物。  
But it might be some creature you’ve seen on another planet.  
那也得看到才知道吧？说不定根本就是没有。  
Seeing is believing. It could be nothing there.  
你的心跳加快了。耳语精灵说。  
Your heartbeat is rising. The whisperer pointed out.  
那证明我紧张！  
I’m nervous!  
说谎。  
Liar, liar, pants on fire.  
…………  
…  
就是如此交锋一阵，我把注意力拉回现实，发现亚亚已经回过头。“既然你都知道了，为什么还不走？”他说。  
So we exchanged opinions for a while and I was awakened by Yaya’s question, “Since you know all about it, why you not be gone?”  
“走？不，我改变主意了，我们也许可以去偷偷看一下朝圣之路的尽头到底有什么，不过在那之前你得先告诉我蛇兰的事儿。这样呢，既不影响你送死，也不影响契约成立。”  
“Gone? No, I changed my mind. Perhaps we should peek at the end of the road and see what’s out there. Before you waste your life, you must tell me where my snorchs are. That won’t hurt our contract.”  
“你担心我死了赖你账吗？”亚亚说。  
“So you fear that I be a deadbeat?” Yaya wondered.  
“呃，我可没有这么说……”我有点心虚。  
“Well, I didn’t say that…” my conscience was guilty, on the contrary.  
尴尬的几分钟沉默。“所以，你是下了决心非要和那个怪物打一架是吧？”我小心翼翼的问。  
Awkward silence… “So, you have a firm resolve to fight the monster?” I asked with great carefulness.  
亚亚不回答，但他的眼神说明了一切。虽然我俩只相处了几天，但他确实是我相处最长久的一个当地人。他给我的感觉有时像沉默的山峰，有时又像雷电，他有着与这颗星球环境相衬的坚韧，又有着与他人不同的勇气。  
Yaya didn’t answer me, yet his eyes told everything. Although we’d got along with each other for only a couple of days, he was actually the oldest local friend I had. Sometime he’s like a silent mountain, sometimes thunder and lightning. His tenacity matched the character of the planet perfectly, and his courage was matchless among his people.  
“你最重要的东西是什么？”  
“Tell me, what do you cherish most?”  
“唔，自由？”  
“Mmm, freedom?”  
“如果有人要夺去你的自由呢？”  
“What if your freedom be taken by someone?”  
“干他。”我不假思索。  
“Make him pay,” I replied heedlessly.  
“艾坦，我的女儿，她是我的自由，我的希望。”他摩挲着骨雕，那花儿看起来如此洁白可爱。  
“My daughter Etan, she be my freedom, my hope,” he caressed the bone sculpture. The flower looked so white and adorable.  
“人终有一死，或卑微如沙，或高贵如星辰。”这个男人念诵着，虔诚无比。但我知道这些祷词不是送给神明，不是送给他自己，他满怀希望，竭尽所能，这是一个父亲所能做的全部。  
“Everything be dead someday, like a lowly grain of sand, or like a noble star,” the man recited reverently. The prayer was neither for a god, nor for himself. He’s doing everything he could as a father in hope of saving his baby girl.  
此后两日，我们继续前进。谁也没有再提起关于朝圣之路尽头的事情，仿佛这就是一次普通的旅行。我们跋涉，休息，亚亚施展了他精湛的狩猎技巧，从沙漠吝啬的馈赠中获得补给。我吃了各种叫不出名字的虫子，奇形怪状的原生生物，如果有机会我一定要写一本野味烹饪大全。而山峰也随着我们的脚步逐渐近在眼前了。  
We kept going for the next two days. Neither of us mentioned the end of the pilgrimage again, as if this was a common tour. We trekked and rested. Yaya demonstrated his superb hunting skills and collected prey from the miserly giving of the desert. I had swallowed so many bugs and grotesque worms that I couldn’t even name. I gotta write a book of wild game cookery if I’d have the chance. And the mountain seemed to be close at hand.  
朝圣之路一直延伸进山中，道路不再平坦，而是变得越来越崎岖。这两天里我再没见到朝圣者的白骨，我们已经抵达了他们所不能抵达的地方。沙鼠也不见踪影，似乎这里已经超出了它们栖息地的范围。在第一个转弯处，亚亚停下了。“迈尔斯，”他冲我喊道，丢给我一个袋子。这袋子我见过，他一直谨慎地放在身边，比储水袋还要看重。  
The road of pilgrimage extended all the way into the mountain. And it’s much bumpier as we proceeded. We hadn’t seen the bones of pilgrims for two days, so I guessed we had reached the unreachable. And no more gerbilanes! This place was beyond the scope of their habitat. Yaya stopped at the first turn, “Miles,” he threw a sack to me. I’d seen it before. He always carried it with him. Seemed more important than the water bag.  
“迈尔斯，你是第一个走到这里的外乡人。” 他说。我打开袋子，里头是两株蛇兰。我傻了，反应了好一会儿。这似乎让亚亚觉得很有趣，“你以为我不知道和你们这些人打交道的诀窍是什么吗？抓在手里的牌才是好牌。”  
“Miles, you be the first outlander here,” he said. I opened the sack and there were two snorchs in it. I was literally dumbfounded! And that amused Yaya, “You think I know not the trick of how to deal with you people? Always save a card in the sleeve.”  
我打包票，这一定是他祖父遇到的那个行者教他的……  
I bet he learned this from his grandfather who’d learned this from the exile…  
“迈尔斯，”他又喊了我一遍，“如果我死了，你能带我的女儿走吗？”  
“Miles,” he called me again. “If I be dead, can you bring my daughter with you?”  
“不是每个人都能当行者的。”我坦诚相告。  
“Not everyone can be an exile,” I admitted.  
“我知道，我只是说说而已。”亚亚眨眨眼，“就在这里说再见吧。”他与我就此别过，我目送他走进山中。  
“I know. Worth a try,” Yaya winked at me. “So this be where we say goodbye.” I watched his departure.  
亚亚把两头驮兽都留给了我，大家伙背上的给养足够我返回驿站。但其实他无需考虑得这么多，行者有自己的旅行方式。或许对于一个有家庭的男人来说，他已经习惯如此周全。  
Yaya left both godos to me. The supplies on their backs were more than enough for me to return to the posthouse. He really didn’t need to worry that much. We exiles have our own ride. Maybe as a man having a family, he’s used to take care of others.  
我是个单身汉，我只需要考虑自己的事情就可以了。   
For a single man like me, I just had to attend myself.  
好吧，迈尔斯。我对自己说。想想你现在要做的事情，你已经拿到了你的东西，你完成了契约。现在只需要动动手指就能回家了。这儿附近准有沙虫，我那可爱的小星球在等着我，热水澡，温暖的床铺，温和平静的夜晚，我都要迫不及待了。  
“OK, Miles. Think about what to do next. You got what you wanted, fulfilled the agreements. Now just move your fingers and you can go home. There must be sandworms here. My cute little planet is expecting my return. A hot bath (actually a cold bath can be better), my warm bed and a gentle peaceful night.” I couldn’t wait to enjoy that.  
但是慢着，我看着亚亚消失的方向，发现自己迈不动腿。迈尔斯，你没有过家人。我扪心自问，你很羡慕那个会骨雕的小丫头，她有个伟大的父亲，愿意为她对抗整个世界。这实在太棒了不是吗？迈尔斯，你有什么理由拒绝这趟冒险，你有什么理由不看到最后？  
Hey, hey, hey! Not so fast! Looking at the direction where Yaya disappeared, I was unable to move my legs, “Miles, you don’t have a family. You envy that little girl because she has a great father who’s willing to take on the whole world for her. Isn’t that fantastic? Miles, what reason do you have to refuse the chance to witness the end of this adventure?”  
这听起来是个傻主意。另一个声音说，我知道那是我的理智，它要展示一下存在感了。  
Sounds like a dumb idea. The other voice said. I knew it’s my reason showing its existence.  
得了，你师父教会了你所有穿越星际的法门可不是为了让你赶回去看肥皂剧。现在这个声音，我猜是我的良心，它不常出现，偶尔发言总能让我感觉膝盖中箭。  
Oh, come on. Your master didn’t teach you all the interstellar travel stuff for you to watch soapies on time every day. Now this voice was my conscience. It’s not a frequent visitor in my head, but every time it spoke I took an arrow in the knee.  
这两个声音在我脑内相互争辩，喋喋不休。  
Two voices were fighting over to go or not to go, with their wagging tongues.  
够了！我怒吼，都他妈给我闭嘴。  
“Enough already! Shut the fuck up, you two!” I bellowed.  
我从背包里掏出亚亚给我的短刀，掂了掂重量，笨手笨脚地把它插在腰带上。然后开始拔腿追上去。  
I fished the dagger out of my backpack and weighed it in my hand. Attaching it on my belt, I fumbled along the way he went.  
我在一个弯道上追上了亚亚，“英雄永远是在最关键时刻出场的！”大声宣布着，我从一颗石头上跳下来。对方吃惊的表情让我有点得意。“做人得有始有终。我决定跟你走到最后。”我说。意识到我的真实意图后，他沉着脸说：“这不是开玩笑。”  
I caught up with Yaya at a turn, “The hero shows up at the critical moment!” I declared loudly and jumped from the rock beside him. The astonished look on him made me proud. “I must finish what was started. I shall follow you till the end,” I grinned. Realizing my genuine intention, he gave me that serious look again, “This be no joke.”  
“我从来没有像现在这样认真过。”我坦然表示，“带上我吧，有一个行者做伴，你不会后悔的。”  
“I’m serious more than ever,” I was unperturbed. “Take me with you. You won’t regret the escort of an exile.”  
亚亚想了一会儿，之后示意我跟上：“你脚步声太大，我都以为是山中的妖魔鬼怪。”他依然沉着脸，但我知道这人其实很高兴。  
Yaya pondered for a while, and he motioned me to follow up. “Your footsteps are too loud. I can almost feel a troll after me,” his face was still serious. But I know he’s happy inside.  
这座山的地貌看着就让人心情不好，怪石嶙峋，寸草不生。我们深一脚浅一脚地走着，有些地方甚至看不见阳光，阴冷又诡异。  
The terrain of the mountain simply disturbed you. There’s nothing around but strange desolate rocks. We walked with great carefulness. Not like the desert, this path was gloomy and cold. There was literally no sunlight in some uncanny corners.  
没有向导，没有标示，全凭亚亚的方向感。我们转来转去，全神皆备，生怕突然跳出什么可怕的怪物来。  
No guides, no marks. All that we had is Yaya’s direction-sense. We went back on back and devoted our full attention in fear of the possible presence of some horrifying monster.  
在差不多山腰处，我们找到一片略为平整的空地，决定稍微休息一下。亚亚向我说起了他们的古老传说。根据我的理解，应该是这么回事：  
We found a clearing half way up the mountain, and decided to ease the weariness of our limbs there. Yaya began to share the details of their ancient legend. According to my understanding, here’s what it’s all about:  
原本这颗星球有着很棒的文明，虽然气候恶劣，但亚亚的祖先们凭借科技的力量能够控制天气。有些沙漠甚至可以种植植物，一些年后就成为了肥沃的土地。  
The planet once had fabulous civilization. Although faced with a threat of bad weather, their ancestors regained the control of rains by technological power. Some deserts even could nourish plants. After a few years, they grew up into fertile soil.  
但有一天，根据祭司们的说法，祖先们的行为触犯了神灵，于是神灵降下灾祸，无数可怕的怪物从沙漠深处蜂拥而出，到处杀戮。说到底这根本就是最典型的“沙煌”嘛。  
However, one day, their ancestors committed blasphemy, as the priests put it. So the gods cast down the disaster. Uncounted monsters came pouring up from the depth of deserts, slaughtering anything alive. To put it bluntly, that was a typical Sandigma.  
亚亚的祖先们拼死抵抗，最终幸存了下来。但文明也因此毁于一旦。留给后人的只有对神灵的无限敬畏和终极大怪物——辛的传说。  
Yaya’s desperate ancestors struggled to hold back the vicious assaults of those monsters. They survived, but the civilization was all for naught. Two greatest legacies were left to their posterity. One was the boundless feeling of awe to the gods. The other was the legend of the ultimate monster—Sin.  
有敬畏，自然就要举行仪式取悦神明，至于到底纳西节和雨季之间有什么逻辑联系，这就说不清了。反正我估摸亚亚的族人也没有胆量去试验，假如不举办纳西节，雨季是不是还会如期而至。毕竟这对他们来说是关乎生存的大事。  
Naturally they conducted a ceremony to please the gods. But I still couldn’t figure out what’s the connection between Nesi and rainy seasons. Obviously Yaya’s brethren were not bold enough to neglect the festival and see whether the rain would come. After all, to them, it’s of vital importance.  
他们选出朝圣者，一路载歌载舞，带着供品去沙漠送死。等待雨季的降临，在短暂的雨水灌溉下种植粮食，饲养牲畜，然后等待再一年。周而复始，每年都是如此，直到今年，纳西节惹到了亚亚的头上，她的女儿被选做了朝圣者。亚亚是名战士，战士的逻辑粗暴简单，他决定孤注一掷，却没有人愿意帮他。于是他找上了我，一个外乡人，不畏惧神明，只看重利益。亚亚的祖父也曾与行者打交道，他从他祖父那边学来的技巧全都用在我身上。就这样，我，迈尔斯，今天才会站在这里，揉搓酸胀的小腿，吃着压缩干粮 ，在山腰的某处休息，瞪着不远处的一个大山洞。  
Pilgrims were picked out to carry tributes to the depth of the desert with a dance of death. Then the people waited for the rain to come. Somehow miraculously the rain did shower down from the sky. They collected the precious rain water to grow food and raise livestock. After that, they waited for another year. It went round and round until this year Nesi pissed Yaya off. His daughter was chosen to be a pilgrim. Yaya was a fighter. His logic was simple and violent. He determined to go for broke, but no one would help him. So he found himself an outlander who didn’t fear their gods but only blinded by gain. Yaya’s grandfather once dealt with an exile, so he used all the people skills learned from his grandpa on me. That’s exactly how I, Miles, stood in the middle of nowhere, rubbing my sore shanks while my mouth stuffed with compacted ration. As I regained my strength, a huge cave not far from us attracted my attention.  
等等，一个大山洞？  
Wait, a huge cave?  
我戳了亚亚一下，指着那边让他看。顺着我的手指，亚亚也注意到了那个有些怪异的山洞。这山洞四周被枯萎的藤蔓遮蔽，亚亚手起刀落将不知何年何月枯萎在此的藤蔓全部清除，整个洞口就裸露了出来。  
I poked Yaya to show him the cave. He also noticed something bizarre about it as he turned his head to where I was pointing. The entrance was covered by wilted vines. Yaya cleaned them all using his sharpened blade, and the opening was revealed.  
山洞口十分平整，里面黑黝黝的看清。亚亚点亮火把，丢进山洞，火把照亮了洞壁和地面。我发现那是人工开凿的石板。  
The edge of the opening was quite smooth. It’s dark in there. Yaya lit a torch and threw it inside. The ground and tunnel wall was lit up by the glowing flame. To my surprise, the tilestones were artificial.  
我俩相视一下，各自掏出武器，亚亚在前，我在后，戒备着走了进去。我施放了一个光亮法术，一个小小的光球在我们前方飘浮。山洞之后是一条平整的通道，我们探索着前进，也不知道过了多久，前面豁然开朗起来，离开了通道。我们来到一大片平台。我向上望去，穹顶高耸异常，仿佛眼前这个广大的空间是整个山体的内部。  
We stared at each other and drew our weapons. Yaya was leading the way and I was watching our back. I cast a light spell and a petite flaring orb floated in front of us. We didn’t remember how far we’d explored in the flat tunnel, and the way ahead suddenly became open and clear. A great platform lay there. The dome was so high as if the whole space was the rumbling belly of the mountain.  
我身边的亚亚则是完全呆了。他丢下火把，直径朝平台中心走去。  
My companion was absolutely petrified. He dropped the torch and went to the center of the platform.  
在那里，有一台宏伟的巨型装置，它与平台连为一体，顶部则延伸至穹顶之上。它看起来就像是高科技与传统文明的结合，那些金属上的铭文即便经历了数个世纪也随时能够发光。亚亚走上前，抚去装置上的浮尘。  
A magnificently giant device stood on the platform, and its spire extended all the way up to the dome. Looked like a graceful combination of high-tech and the traditional local civilization. The inscriptions on the machine were still glowing despite its probable very very ancient existence. Yaya gently flicked away the dust from the device.  
“朝圣之路的尽头……是这个……”他回头看我，眼里充满了希望，“……这个是先祖们控制天气的法宝。”  
“The end of the pilgrimage… is this…” he turned around at me, hope filled in his eyes. “This… is the precious weather controller invented by my ancestors!”  
“亚亚，……”我意识到某些地方不对，在平台边缘散落着什么，好像是前人的东西。就在这个时候，平台下的深渊突然出现一道黑影，极其迅速地扫向亚亚站立的位置。  
“Yaya…” I realized that something was wrong. Something unknown was scattered at the edge of the platform. Seemed like what belonged to his ancestors. But suddenly, a dark shadow lurked in the abyss beside the platform. A whip-formed lash swept towards where Yaya stood at a breakneck speed.  
幸亏亚亚反应极快，立刻滚向一边。只见那突袭者慢悠悠地滑了下去，是一条硕大无比的触手，大约有我的大腿粗细。  
Thanks to his extreme deftness, Yaya rolled to the right to dodge the assault. The attacker unhurriedly slid down. It’s… a giant tentacle of the size of my thigh.  
紧接着更多触手从平台边缘处袭来，简直是三百六十度无死角的攻击，誓要将我俩抓住拖下深渊里去。亚亚挥刀斩击，且战且退，两人一同退回了通道口。但那触手依然不死心，试图往通道口钻，我吓得大叫，抽出短刀来回乱戳，总算将敌人赶了回去。  
What’s next? More tentacles were emerging from the fringe of the platform. They were literally attacking from everywhere! They tried to drag us down into the abyss. Yaya answered with his slashing. We fought them as we slowly retreated towards the tunnel. But the tentacles were not giving up. They were also going that way. I drew the dagger to jab them pointlessly while letting out a compulsive scream. Temporarily the tentacles were driven back.  
“我、我算是知道、辛的真面目了……”我气喘吁吁地说，“这一大坨东西真他妈恶心……”我俩挤在通道的夹缝里，那些触手正在重整旗鼓，试图一举将我们抓住拧碎。  
“I think I know who or what Sin is now…” I’m panting, “This pile of shit is so freaking disgusting!” We huddled together in a crack of the tunnel, but the tentacles were regrouping in an attempt to crush us once and for all.  
这时，洛伊传来讯息：穴居许德拉[HYDRA]，鳞爪星团Ω四等星原生生物，由于星球环境巨变，几乎已经灭绝。喜欢黑暗干燥的环境，休眠期大约是一年，本体是这样。   
I couldn’t believe Loi was sending me the monster’s data at this moment: Cave-dwelling Hydra, protist from Scalenail Star, presumed to be extinct. They prefer dark and dry environment. Their dormancy period is about one year. And this is how it looks like:  
我脑海中出现了一张图片，说实话那些触手和怪物的本体比起来，已经算是可爱了。  
An image popped up in my mind. Honestly the tentacles were much lovelier than its face.  
弱点呢！弱点！我对洛伊说。就这会儿功夫，触手卷土重来，我俩已经快抵挡不住了。  
Weakness! What is the weakness! I became impatient as the tentacles rose again from all around us. The two of us could barely defend ourselves.  
耳语精灵沉默了一会儿。资料不足，无法回答。  
My whisperer went silent for a moment. Insufficient data. Unanswerable.  
要你何用啊！我发自内心地怒骂。  
Why even bother! I cursed in rage.  
就在这个时候，我突然听见一阵轰鸣声。在触手攻击的间隙，我看见那个巨型装置上的指示灯居然亮了，是漂亮的深蓝色，整个装置被启动了。那一瞬间，我好像知道了什么。“亚亚！我知道了雨季的秘密！”我对着触手戳戳戳，朝旅伴大喊，“穴居许德拉！它的休眠期是一年！它醒来后开始活动，然后就触发了你们祖先留下的机器，于是你们就有了雨季！这就是你们的神和辛的真相！”  
Right at this moment, I heard a VROOM! The indicator light of the machine was suddenly turned on when the tentacles were making threatening gestures. It’s a beautiful dark blue light. The entire device was shaking. I thought I knew what it’s all about. “Yaya! Now I know the secret of the rain!” I jabbed and prodded and stabbed, and shouted at my companion, “Cave hydra! Its period of dormancy is a year. When it wakes up and moves around, it triggers your ancestors’ machine. That’s why you have the rain. And this is the truth about your god and the legend of Sin!”  
“事到如今！”亚亚挥刀砍断触手，“你知道了这个又有什么用呢！”但是又有更多的蜂拥而来，我俩不得已躲在一堆碎石后面以获得喘息的机会。  
“Now? Seriously?” Yaya cut off a tentacle with a maddened slash, “What be the next?” We had to hide behind a pile of rubbles to catch a breath because more were coming at us.  
“动脑子！动脑子亚亚！你只要干掉这个货色，你就能抢回天气控制器！你们就再也不需要朝圣者和纳西节了！”  
“Use your wits, Yaya! If you kill this thing, you are able to reclaim your weather controller! No more pilgrims and Nesis!”  
亚亚打退一轮攻击，喘着粗气看我：“你有、好主意？”  
Yaya thwarted a new round of attack, panting, “You have… good idea?”  
“我有，我以千万星辰的名义保证，我有。你信不信我！”我吼道。他用一下漂亮的斩击作为了回答。  
“I have! In the name of the stars, I have. Do you trust me?” I yelled. He responded with hewing an arm.  
我简短地向他说了两句，他点点头。这是一场豪赌。我就爱这种戏码。在下一轮攻击的间隙，我俩一同怒吼着冲了出去。  
I briefly explained the plan to him. He nodded his head to agree. This was an unrestrained gambling, which by the way is my favorite. Catching the moment between two hydra arm-swings, we bellowed a charge at the same time.  
“杀啊——！！”我高喊着，以我从出生到现在最快的速度往平台边缘狂奔。亚亚在我右侧，振动片手剑咆哮着，为我杀开一条血路。  
“For the rain!” I rushed towards the edge of the platform at the fastest speed I’d ever reached since my birth. Yaya was on my right side using his roaring vibration blade to clear the way.  
触手从西面八方包围我们，我几乎就要摔倒。但是最终，我抵达了平台边缘。我手忙脚乱地打开那个瓶子，那瓶蛇兰汁液，亚亚给我的定金。现在我可顾不得拿它滴眼睛了，因为就在刚才我脑子里突然出现了一个点子，这个点子如此不靠谱，但也许在此刻这是我们唯一的希望。“去啊！以千万星辰的名义！”我将开口的瓶子扔了出去。  
The alien arms attempted to get us from all directions, and I nearly fell over. But eventually I made it to the edge. I opened the bottle in a great flurry. Yes, the S.E.R.U.M., a.k.a. the down payment Yaya gave me. It’s not a good time to drip it into my eyes, because I just had this crazy idea in my mind. It was so unreliable that it might be the only hope back then. “Go, in the name of the stars!” I threw the opened bottle out.  
装着蛇兰汁液的金属瓶在空中划出一道弧线，撞在深渊的石壁上，我看见有液体喷洒出来，那些晶莹的液体在失重状态下呈水滴状，开始稳稳下落，最终全部洒在了触手上面。  
The metal bottle drew a graceful arc through the air and collided with the stone wall beside the abyss. First, the liquid sprayed out in weightlessness, and then all the scattered drops slowly landed on the twisting tendrils.  
然后呢？我等了几秒钟，毫无反应。“迈尔斯！你做了什么！“亚亚吼道，他仍然在同触手作战，竭尽所能。  
Now what? Being confounded for a few seconds, I saw nothing happen. “Miles! Whatever you do, do it faster!” Yaya was pushing himself to the limit against those unstoppable tentacles.  
“它需要点时间生效！但我不知道需要多久！“ 我绝望地解释着，然后开始翻找随身的背包。我要想办法，我得争取些时间。许德拉太强了，亚亚根本不可能是它的对手。蛇兰汁液应该会有用，只是我不清楚沙虫多久会来，通常很快，然后就把滴上汁液的我给吃了。事实上在这之前我从来没想过浪费宝贵的蛇兰汁液去给沙虫装点午餐。我掏出一罐催眠瓦斯对着触手喷射，毫无作用，触手上没有呼吸系统；热力棒也一样，最多能把触手烤熟，还得花上二十分钟。  
“Normally it takes some time. I don’t know how long!” I explained desperately. Then I began to rummage through my backpack. There must be something that I had to buy us some time. The hydra was too strong for Yaya to take down alone. The S.E.R.U.M. should be working. I was just not sure when the sandworm would emerge. Generally, a few drops on me, and the next moment I’m in its huge maw. Actually I never thought I’d waste the precious S.E.R.U.M. on the lunch of a sandworm. Ha, found a can of sleeping gas! Darn it, the suckers didn’t have any respiratory system on them. The electric heating rod was just as useless as the gas can. Sure it may broil a tendril, like in twenty minutes which I couldn’t afford, by the way.  
我像疯子一样尖叫着，丢出所有能丢的东西，包括一个胶囊。胶囊被一条触手挥击弹飞，在半空中打开，一大群沙鼠从里头喷涌而出。  
I screamed like a madman, throwing everything I had, including a capsule. One tentacle deflected it like a baseball. Amazingly a swarm of gerbilanes surged out. They made lots of noisy squeaks when they were rolling in the air.  
啊，没错。自从我被烤沙鼠折服之后，我就决定带上一堆用作储备粮。没想到会在这种时候用上。  
Ah, I forgot to mention. Ever since I discovered the true relish of gerbilanes, I captured some for extra food stock. I didn’t expect they would come in handy in the battle.  
这些小家伙们在半空中翻滚吱吱乱叫，有些家伙正巧落在了触手上，就地啃了起来。触手开始疯狂地抽打，沙鼠们用牙齿和食欲开始反击，这真是一场诡异又惊心动魄的战斗。  
Some of them landed on the ugly arms, and they started to feast on the suckers! I bet that must be deadly itchy. The twitching tendrils decided to thrash the uninvited little guests to prove who should be the real master of the cave. Well, the gerbilanes apparently had more pointy teeth and an insatiable appetite. What a weird and shocking brawl…

最初沙鼠们占了上风，这些小怪物擅长集团作战。但是很快触手就扳回了局势，它们以抽打，互相卷裹的方式清除这些攀附着的小害虫。很快沙鼠的咀嚼声减弱了。触手又挥舞着向平台上的我们进攻。  
The gerbilanes had the upper hand at the beginning. Group combat was the advantage of these little ones. By whipping, wrapping, suffocating, and squeezing, the tendrils took out the adhering vermin one by one. Soon the sound of munching could not be heard any more. Again the tentacles were waving at us on the platform.  
亚亚反手握剑，摆出了一个战士应有的姿态，挡在我与触手之间，“迈尔斯，趁现在快跑。回去告诉别人这里发生的事情，告诉他们雨季的真相。“  
Yaya held his blade with the reverse grip, standing between me the hydra. He’s being the hero, “Miles, run before it be too late. Tell everyone what did happen here. Tell them the truth of the rains.”  
我扭头看向出口，那里却已经被触手包围，穴居许德拉的智商还挺高，知道得堵住猎物的后路。“太晚了，我也没有招了……“我说，一屁股坐在地上。我没想过我居然是以这种方式结束，在没有人认识的星球上死于没有人抵达过的地方。我的尸骨说不定等这个宇宙毁灭了也不会被人发现。  
I looked back at the exit. Damn it, it’s blocked by the vicious arms. Looked like our cave buddy also had a smart brain. So no retreat then. “It’s too late! I’m out of tricks…” I gave up, hurling myself on the ground. I never thought this was how my life ends: to die in an unreachable place on an unknown planet. Probably my remains would never be discovered, even until the annihilation of this universe. On second thought, the hydra looked pretty hungry. There might be no remains of me.  
就在这个时候，我听见了一种隐隐约约的声音，那声音来自地底深处，越来越近，震耳欲聋，仿佛有什么巨大的东西在靠近这里。平台开始振颤，头顶有碎石掉落。  
Just when all hope was gone, I heard a something rumbling from the depth of the underground. It’s getting closer and closer, and the noise was deafening. Something big was approaching. The trembling cave shook off the century-old detritus from the top of the dome.  
触手们突然惊慌失措地抽回去，迅速缩回深渊底部，但已经太迟了。深渊底部传来了可怕的吼声，我不知道那是穴居许德拉的声音还是另外的生物……  
The tendrils retreated back to the abyss instinctively. But the dreadful snarl from the bottom foreboded something beyond imagination. I was not quite sure it’s the savior we were waiting for…  
紧接着，一头巨大的沙虫跃出深渊，它如此巨大，几乎占满了整个空间，它的样子无论我看了多少遍都无法和任何星球上的生命联系起来，它们是唯一的，永远是。  
And for stars’ sake, behold, a gigantic pinkish sandworm rose from the abyss. It was so huge that the body of it almost occupied the whole room of the dome. I can never connect it to any creature on any planet. Sandworms are unique, and they always will be.  
沙虫吞掉了穴居许德拉，最后两条触手也消失在了它巨大口器的边缘。沙虫在整个山洞中盘旋了一圈，全然无视我的存在重新跃下深渊不见了。  
Sandy gulped down Cavey, holus-bolus. As the last pair of tendrils disappeared from its mouthpart, Sandy took a tour inside the cave, defying the presence of Yaya and me. And it plunged back into the abyss as it had something else to attend to.  
整个过程太过震撼，就算是我这样的老兵也没亲眼目睹过沙虫吞掉生物的现场，保佑我们的触手先生永远迷失在秘境。  
The whole process was way too shocking, even for a veteran like me. Because this was the very first time I saw the swallowing from the third perspective. I hoped that Mr. Tentacles would lose its way in the Nexus.  
“……那就是……沙虫？”亚亚目瞪口呆。  
“That be… a sandworm?” Yaya was astounded.  
“呃，看起来挺可爱的不是吗？”我嘟囔。哼，要知道大部分时候我可是要被它吞进去的。不过我得提醒自己一笔，任何情况下如果遭遇穴居许德拉，在保证自己有十分强大的实力之前，最好不要去招惹。我他妈还想多活几年。  
“Uh, pretty lovely, isn’t it?” I muttered. Hum, most of the time I was the one gets swallowed. However, next time I should remind myself that don’t mess with a Cavey until I’m well-prepared, and I will be never well-prepared. Damn I wanna survive another score of years.  
一切都结束了。亚亚走向天气控制装置，摸索着启动了开关，一股能量激发向上，顺着装置直达穹顶。是错觉吗？几分钟后，我似乎听见了雷声。我们跑了出去，眼前的景象让人激动不已。云层在沙漠上空聚集，雷电照亮天空，起先只是几滴水滴，然后越来越密集，大颗的雨点开始落下，终于汇聚成了倾盆大雨。  
It’s over. Yaya ran for the weather controller, tapping everywhere. Suddenly the machine started to work. A surge of energy gathered and rushed upward along the shaft, right to the dome. We waited for a few minutes, and then there went a rolling thunder. We couldn’t believe it’s not hallucination. So we sprinted to the exit to check it out. Yaya was tingling with excitement because of what he saw. The dark clouds were assembling above the desert, and the lightning was growling the order. It started with only a few drops. Then in no time it’s raining cats and frogs.  
亚亚冲进雨幕，张开双臂。他大笑着，如孩童一般。  
He charged into the curtain of rain, with his arms opened, laughing like a child.

 

END


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